For many of us, earbuds are an essential accessory, providing us with endless hours of audio entertainment and enjoyment. However, for some, the cost of prolonged use is a nagging itch. Why does this happen and what can you do about it? Let's talk about some of the potential causes of itchy ears and what you can do to stop it.
The Causes of Itchy Ears
Allergies
One of the most common reasons for itchy ears is allergies. That’s right. You may be allergic to silicone material, or at least the grade of silicone used by most earbud brands. This allergy may not manifest immediately, but if you wear your earbuds long and often enough, your silicone aversion is likely to emerge.
Eczema
Eczema is another common reason you might be experiencing discomfort. It often develops when you sweat or your skin starts becoming irritated. It’s especially true if you’ve suffered from it in the past. The problem is, the more you scratch and wear your earbuds, the worse the eczema gets. Stress and anxiety can exacerbate your ear eczema too. When that cortisol level goes up, your immune system is suppressed, causing inflammation in your body.
Earwax
Even maintaining proper ear hygiene sometimes isn’t enough to keep itchiness at bay. Using earbuds can contribute to wax buildup in the deeper areas of your ear canal. This buildup causes blockages, which can lead to dryness in the outer ear canal. And dry skin, of course, makes you itchy.
Dirty Earbuds
Dirty earbuds could also be the cause of itchy ears. If you don’t frequently clean your earbuds, you risk cultivating some nasty bacteria and fungi with names that are impossible to pronounce, like aspergillus and streptococci. Honestly, the less you know about this, the better it will be for your psychological and emotional well-being. Still, it’s good to understand that these factors can even lead to ear infections. So, let’s just say that dirty earbuds are detrimental to your overall health and leave it at that.
Solutions for Itchy Ears
Allergy Solutions
The best way to overcome your silicone allergy is to invest in medical grade silicone ear tips. Now, this is not necessarily a surefire way to avoid an allergic reaction, but it can make a huge difference for many people. Audiophile ear tip brands, such as SpinFit, claim to use medical grade silicone, and their ear tips tend to have a universal size that works for many consumer earbuds. Some of their ear tip models even have interchangeable stem connectors to help ensure you get the right fit with the model of earbuds you’re using.
That said, some people still have allergic reactions, even to medical grade silicone. And if you’re one of these people, it’s time to accept that you’re going to have to wear over-ear headphones. Alternatively, you can also switch to foam ear tips which have the added benefit of enhancing the lower frequencies of your earbuds’ sound signature. This is good news if you like more bass, but some people just don’t enjoy the feeling of foam against the ear. And if your ears are already in a delicate place, foam can sometimes irritate them further.
Eczema Solutions
If you have suffered from eczema in the past, and your ears have become itchy from your earbuds, it might be a good idea to see a doctor so that they can prescribe you some topical corticosteroids (eczema cream). Often, doctors will want to avoid prescribing these because these ointments can thin the skin after prolonged use. Instead, they may suggest some baby oil or something equally innocuous to dab around your outer ear canal daily.
If eczema is indeed the cause of your itchiness, settle back and ride the wave. It may be years until your ears stop itching, if ever. It’s best to take a break from your earbuds altogether.
Removing Earwax Buildup
When it comes to wax buildup, your best bet would be to go to an ear doctor (otolaryngologist). He’ll take one look inside your ears and tell you that you have about 3 inches of wax buildup. Then, he’ll take out what I can only describe as a small vacuum cleaner to remove the debris that’s been sitting in your ears for who knows how long. He might even mention that he found some dry skin down there. Take it all in stride and realize that it’s not your fault. The silver lining is that you’ll start to hear sound frequencies that you never knew existed.
Solutions for Dirty Earbuds
The simplest and safest way to clean your ear tips is to detach them from your earbuds and soak them in diluted dishwashing liquid for about half an hour. Then use a cotton swab to really get in there and wash it clean. Do not put them in the dishwasher or use alcohol wipes. Alcohol wipes can burn your already-irritated ears and make you feel like a jalapeño somehow found its way into your ear canal. But perhaps the best solution to weathered ear tips is to just buy new ones. After all, who wants to spend half an hour of their day watching ear tips soak in water? Spend a few bucks to get yourself some high-quality medical grade ear tips and move on with your life.
Become an Advocate
The most important lesson is don’t suffer in silence. Share your ailments with your doctors and those closest to you to find comfort and effective solutions. What’s mentionable is manageable. In fact, you may be doing a big service to other sufferers of itchy ears by posting about this ear stigma online.
